'Graham James has been in my house': Darrell Davis

The Green Zone’s Darrell Davis remembers when “evil personified” Graham James came to his home.

James, 64, is serving a federal sentence for sexually assaulting players with the Swift Current Broncos in the late 1980s and early ’90s. A decision to grant him full parole sparked outrage on Thursday.

Below 980 CJME has audio and a transcribed version of Davis’ recollection of when James was in his own house:

“Graham James has been in my house. I honestly didn’t know better.

My mother died in 1993 and, because of my father’s heavy involvement in hockey, all sorts of hockey people were at her funeral.

James was coaching the Swift Current Broncos. He drove into Regina for the funeral and brought along one of his players, Tyler Wright, a first-round draft choice of the Edmonton Oilers.

My dad drafted Wright.

At the time, we all liked James. He was intelligent, articulate, and apparently a very good coach. During the post-funeral gathering at my house, I had nice conversations with James and Wright. I honestly knew nothing about James being a sexual predator.

His trial and imprisonment for sexually assaulting his players was a total surprise.

Through all of his reappearances, appeals, new sentences and now, his full parole, it reminds how easily he could sway people.

He has besmirched my mother’s memory and he has damaged the lives of numerous boys and men.